Rail-joint



H. E. SWANSON.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1920.

1,360,697 I Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. SWANSON, OF SAYBROOK, ILLINOIS.

I RAIL-JOINT;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Application filed January 30, 1920. Serial No. 355,263.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that HENRY E. SWANSON, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, re siding at Saybrook, in the county of McLean and State ofIllinois, has invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a joint for railway trackrails whereby provision is made for expansion and contraction due tovariations of temperature while maintaining such a relation between theconnected rail ends as to prevent sagging or disalinement incident tosuperposed weight, or vibration, even when the rail ends are notdirectly supported by the ties, and to this end the invention'consistsin a construction and relation of parts of which a pre ferred embodimentis shown in the drawing, wherein: V

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the adjacent portions of two rail endsand their related fish lates, showing the parts separated;

Fig. 2 is a side view showing the parts in their normal or operativerelations.

The adjacent portions of two rail ends to be connected to form a ointare indicated respectively at 10 and 11, it being understood that theopposite ends of each rail section or length are adapted to beconstructed re spectively as shown at 10 and 11 to the end thatthecomplemental ends of any two rail sections or lengths may be united inthe laying of a continuous track, each of said rail ends being dividedlongitudinally and horizontally in a plane through the web 12 andbetween the planes of the head 13 and base 14 to form the wings 15 and16 which when joined and arranged in a common plane as indicated in Fig.2 combine to form a composite web which corresponds with the rail webthroughout the major portion of its length. The flange member 15 is thusformed on the extension of the base 14 of one rail end while the flangeportion 16 is formed on the head extension 11 of the other rail end, andthe angular fish plates 17 and 18 are adapted for arrangement uponopposite sides of the plane of the rail webs, as in the ordinarypractice and aresecured in place by bolts 19 extending throughregistering openings 20 in the fish plates and 21 in the web 12- andflange portion 15.

Also the inner surface of the fish plate 17 is preferably provided witha projection 22 formed for example as a rib for engagement with adepression 23 formed as a groove in the side surface of the flangeportion 16 which depends from the head extension of the rail end 11 toaid in supporting said head extension and strengthening the joint toprevent displacement under the heavy traffic conditions to which jointsof this kind are subjected in practice.

The rib 22 and the corresponding groove or seat 23 may extend for aconsiderable distance back of the cut-away portion of the rail end 11 soas to effectively reinforce the joint and to guard against any tendencyto displacement. Also it will be understood thatthe fish plates havebearings at their baseand upper edges respectively against the base andunder surfaces of the rail end.

heads to add to the rigidity of the joint.

What is claimed is:

1. A rail joint having alined rail ends respectively divided on alongitudinal horizontal' plane intersecting the web and disposed inoverlapping relation, and fish plates'spanning the overlapped portionsof said rail ends in contact with opposite sides of the rail end webs,one of said fish plates having an interlocking engagement with the railend web which carries the rail head extension.

2. A rail joint having spliced rail ends unitedvon a longitudinal planeintersecting the rail web and providing complemental flange portionsprojecting respectively from rail head and rail base extensions andcombining to form a continuation of the rail end HENRY E. SWANSON.

